Michael Jackson is highest-earning dead musician

Michael Jackson has topped the list of Top Earning Dead Celebrities for the fourth time.

Michael Jackson has been named the highest-earning dead celebrity of the past year.

The late Thriller hitmaker - who died in June 2009 aged 50 - has topped Forbes' annual list of the Top Earning Dead Celebrities for the fourth consecutive year after his estate earned him a record-breaking $825 million (£675) before tax between October 2015 and October 2016 from sales of his music.

The huge sum includes the money made from the sale of half of his shares in the Sony/ATV music publishing catalogue, which is comprised of rare Beatles tracks.

Of the amount, Forbes said that it was ''the most any celebrity has ever earned in a single year''.